Tlze Knigl,ts of Columbus llistorical Commission
467
Purissima Concepcion, ·San Juan Capistrano, and San Francisco de la Espada. Winners of this contest were Miss Dorothy Rehn, St. Mary's Parochial School, San Antonio, and Miss Edwina Spears, St. Xavier's Academy, Denison. Those who had the privilege of personal acquaintanceship with good Father Foik will well realize with what pride and joy he wrote on January IO, 1932, to all the worthy Grand Knights and Respected Brothers of the State to announce that the actual writing of the projected history was at long last to begin. In his printed letter to all the councils he announced "The project has now reached a stage beyond the visionary. The actual research and composition of the first volume is in progress. The historiog- rapher is the Rev. Dr. Francis Borgia Steck, O.F.M., who has been per- mitted to undertake the writing of the history of the Mission Era in Texas by the kind consent of the Provincial Superior of the Franciscans in the Province of the Sacred Heart. The compensation for this monu- mental work in several volumes, which require about five years for com- pletion, is very happy and succinctly stated by Dr. Steck to the Historical Commission at its last meeting. These are his words: "I am not to receive a fixed salary from the Commission for the work performed. My Superior settled the matter by relinquishing all claims to salary in view of the fact that it was the history of the Franciscans to which I was to devote myself." What more generous expression could have been uttered. Thus you may see that God's Providence is with us. The same liberality of mind and heart has been manifested from the very inception of this movement. In fact, all the efforts of the members of the Commission have been so many labors of love without pecuniary recompense. Their untiring service and consuming self-sacrifice, their real earnestness and ardent zeal, their devotedness and patience to the cause in the face of enormous difficulties and obstacles have all combined for the one great purpose of giving the honor and glory to God and exaltation to the Catholic Church in the Lone Star State." Father Foik was happy at the selection of Father Steck. His views coincided with that of the committee composed of Rev. Dr. Peter Guilday. and Worthy State Deputy, Dr. Joseph I. Driscoll. Father Steck had already achieved an enviable record as a scholar and writer. It was thought appropriate that a Franciscan should write the annals of the Franciscan Order in Texas. On account of the great accumrnulation of documents written in Span- ish, Father Gabriel Tous, T.O.R., a scholar who had spent more than
Powered by FlippingBook